Softball sweeps in dramatic fashion

Georgia 4-3, Arkansas 3-2

The No. 23 Georgia softball team waited until their final at bats Saturday afternoon to sweep a doubleheader from Arkansas, 4-3 and 3-2.

In game one, Julie Milner's RBI single in the seventh provided the difference. In game two, Kim Wendland's three-run triple helped Georgia improve to 41-8 and 9-8 in the Southeastern Conference.

Nicole Barber paced Georgia by going 5-for-5 in the two-game sweep with five stolen bases. The five steals push Barber's consecutive streak this season to 49 and to 60 dating back to last season. She is 10 away from setting the NCAA record for consecutive stolen bases.

''Barber was a great weapon for us today,'' Georgia head coach Lu Harris-Champer said. ''She did a great job on the bases. Kim Wendland and Julie Milner both came through in clutch situations. Milner is ripping the ball right now.''

Lacey Gardner and Michelle Green matched complete-game wins. Gardner (18-5) allowed one earned run on six hits in game one, and Green (14-2) allowed just one earned run on six hits in the second.

In game one, Georgia entered its half of the seventh inning tied 3-3. The Bulldogs loaded the bases with no outs, but waited until two were out for Milner to bounce a single through the left side of the infield that scored Shannon McKeon.

In game two, Arkansas (25-19, 6-11) scored once in the first and once in the fifth. In the bottom of the sixth, Georgia's first three batters reached and Wendland, the SEC's leading hitter, followed with her bases-clearing triple to center field that lifted the Bulldogs.

Georgia and Arkansas conclude their series today at 1 p.m. at the Women's Athletic Complex on South Milledge Avenue.